OVERVIEW
We study the ecology, evolution, and functional role of fishes in coastal ecosystems. We’re interested in their organismal biology, their community assembly, and how each species contributes to ecosystem-scale fluxes of energy and nutrients.
Land acknowledgement
The Fish & Functions Lab recognizes the enduring relationship between Indigenous peoples and their ancestral lands and waters. Our institute occupies the sacred land of the Karankawa (Copanes), Lipan Apache/Nde, Comanche, Tonkawa, Coahuiltecan (Pamoque), Malaquites, and other tribal and detribalized peoples who have lived along the Nueces River from before recorded history to the present day. We express gratitude to these peoples who have stewarded these lands and waters since the beginning of time. It is because of these Indigenous caretaker stewards that we can gather here today. We must respect the rights of these peoples by engaging in ethical practices and sustaining collaborative relationships with their communities. We encourage all to engage honestly with our shared past as we work toward justice and collective healing amid the ongoing traumas and erasures caused by colonialism. This land acknowledgement serves as a promise of our commitment to these communities and the resources they steward.
